Certified Data Destruction

There are several methods that are used by certified data destruction companies to guarantee consistent results, all of which fall under two categories: logical and physical data destruction. Certified data destruction services are a vital security tool for thousands of businesses. Data destruction services work by permanently destroying data, rendering it unrecoverable even through professional data recovery services and ensuring that sensitive data stays in the right hands.

Logical Data Destruction

Logical data destruction involves the systematic deletion of data in a way that completely removes it from a hard drive or other form of storage media. Most companies which offer logical data destruction use DOD7 standards, which were established by the Department of Defense. Data is deleted and overwritten at a binary level. To prevent future data recovery, binary overwrites are usually completed several times, with random strings of 1s and 0s and established patterns used alternatively to stop data from ever being read again. Modern data recovery tools are capable of recovering data that has been overwritten once, but multiple overwrites ensure complete security. Once a data storage medium has been deleted using logical data destruction tools, no recovery is ever possible.

Physical Data Destruction

While logical data destruction keeps the storage media intact and allows hard drives or other devices to be used again, physical data destruction completely destroys both the data and the storage medium. Even with physical hard drive destruction, there are important guidelines that companies must follow to ensure a secure process. Some businesses which offer certified data destruction use extremely powerful magnets or actually melt down the platters of a hard drive. To eliminate the possibility of data recovery, the components of storage media that actually hold data need to be physically destroyed past the point at which reconstruction would be possible.

The Need For Certified Data Destruction

Data recovery has progressed significantly in recent years, and to ensure absolute file security, certified data destruction services and software are an essential tool for both professional and home computer users everywhere. There are a number of software tools which can be used to eliminate single files or entire hard drives via the DOD deletion methods mentioned above. These software solutions can be useful for businesses and personal computer users who need occasional secure data destruction. There are also a number of businesses who offer data destruction services, complete with an actual certification that establishes their methods as appropriate and comprehensive. Regardless of whether a small or a large amount of data needs to be destroyed, it's crucial to understand that certified data destruction offers a guarantee of security which is vital in the modern world of computing.